Horizon
by Neo the Saiyan angel
Summary: Yuna thinks about the future as she watches the sun set from the Celsius.


Yuna sighed contentedly as she looked out from the edge of the Celsius. The sky was painted a variety of colors, each bright and vibrant. Golds and purples streaked across it in lazy strokes with puffs of clouds breaking the lines here and there. The sun was flirting with the horizon. Her eyes closed as she simply let the feel of the wind blow against her skin and ruffle her white mage dressphere clothes. The hood was threatening to fall as the familiar staff wavered in the wind.

A perfect setting for contemplation.

She was in this particular outfit for nostalgia. It was the closest thing she had to the clothing she wore back during her Pilgrimage, to when he had still been alive.

Yuna was trying to piece together her feelings. The presence on the Farplane she had felt had been Tidus. There was no question on that. She should have felt mournful. Desire for him. Maybe even empty at how they could never be together again.

But...but all she had felt was _relief_. It felt like a sign to her, to move on. That he was okay with Yuna trying for love with the other person she had fallen for.

A grin crossed her face. Yes, the other person that had a place in her heart. That had stuck with her ever since even before the Eternal Calm. That tried her best to keep Yuna in good spirits.

Yuna was hesitant, though. Because...because they were family. Family stuck together. And Rikku's jubilant, almost flirty nature was something she had with everyone, so it might not just be for Yuna. Nothing special for Rikku like it was for Yuna.

How could she approach this with Rikku? How could she-...

"Heeeeeya~" Suddenly the woman on her mind popped right into her face, a giant grin on her lips. "Whatcha up to?"

Her bright eyes and playful smile put the butterflies in Yuna's gut on overdrive. Still, she maintained her outward calm as she noted, "I'm watching the sunset and...and thinking."

"Oh?" Rikku, in her normal thief outfit, flopped down carelessly next to Yuna. "What about?" Before Yuna could even begin to form a reply, Rikku blurted, "It's about how awesome us Gullwings are, isn't it?" She pumped a fist. "Yeah! We saved Spira again! Isn't that _nuts_?"

"Yes, it is."

Yuna tried not to pay too much attention to how close Rikku was now. Her warmth could be felt even in the several centimeters between their bodies, her arms propping her up as she leaned back against them. Hands spread out, nearly brushing Yuna's thigh as Rikku sat a short ways in front of Yuna. All the high summoner had to do was reach out and she could be hand-in-hand with her cousin.

The two of them sat silently for a few minutes, Rikku's earlier excitement suppressed as they both seemed to take in the calm of the oncoming night.

It wasn't until the sun was halfway down the horizon when Rikku elbowed her lightly in the side. "I bet I know what you're thinking of~"

Yuna sucked in a small breath. "Oh?"

"Yeah!" Rikku tilted her head, looking at her out of the corner of her eye. "Your probably thinking about Tidus. He was in there, in the Farplane." A ponderous expression crossed Rikku's face. "Him and Auron, they were both there. Really makes you think on the nature of the afterlife 'n' stuff."

Yuna stifled a chuckle. "Yes, I am thinking about him. At least, that's part of it."

"Whaaaat?" Rikku exaggeratedly turned her face to Yuna. "What else are you thinking of?"

Yuna shook her head, then paused. Maybe she should…? It seemed like a good opening. Smooth, as Wakka would probably say.

She went for it.

"You." The answer was simple and honest. She let a touch of emotion flutter through that one word.

Rikku let out a strange chuckle, a crooked grin on her face. "Me? Why are you thinking about me?"

"Tidus...I felt like he was telling me to move on. That I was free to find someone else to be with." Yuna looked out to the horizon. "You've been with me for the last few years. Sticking by my side, through the worst and the best. I think...I think you're amazing. You're wonder at everything around you, your simple glee at being alive…I both envy you and find it irresistible. I just…" She felt a blush cross her face as she lamely finished, "I like you like that. Like I did Tidus. And I was wondering…"

She couldn't get the rest of the words out, her bundle of hope in the words 'do you feel the same?' keeping her from doing so. This was sudden. Completely unexpected from Yuna, and she knew it. But-...

She was torn from her thoughts as a hand gently intertwined with her own as it rested on the Celsius. Yuna's gaze shot to Rikku, who was looking back with a mischievous grin. The look sent the blush farther across her face as her gut lurched. Another of her flirty looks. But this time it was all for Yuna.

"I think exploring our options together wouldn't be a bad thing," Rikku said, stroking a finger across Yuna's knuckles. "I mean, we've made it _this _far together. I don't think anything else life throws at us could tear us apart. I…" her lips twisted in embarrassment "...I like you like that too. But I didn't want to step on Tidus' toes."

"Mmm." Yuna flashed Rikku a brilliant smile. "I think he would be happy, that neither of us are alone."

"Probably. He was kind of a weird guy," Rikku said with a shrug.

"Hey!" Yuna batted at her cousin with her free hand, it dropping the staff against the Celsius as it did so. Rikku gave a cheeky laugh in reply as she ducked away from the high summoner.

Yuna stopped after a minute of Rikku laughing, deciding to simply let it go. Rikku was right. Just a little bit. She'd never met anyone like Tidus before or since he stumbled into her life.

She looked back out to the sky and sighed, squeezing Rikku's hand with her own. Then, suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "When do we tell everyone?"

"Uhhhh...how 'bout never?" Rikku suggested unhelpfully with a cringe. At Yuna's curious stare, she defended, "Telling our family? Telling _Paine_? Ugh! You're just _asking_ for some kind of drama! Why don't we enjoy it a bit before we go and stir up that hornet's nest?"

Yuna thought on that for a moment. "...You're right. Maybe we should wait."

Rikku gave a relieved sigh. "Disaster averted!"

"For now." Yuna was quiet for a few seconds before asking, "What do we do now?"

"Now? Hmmm…" Rikku pondered, chin sticking out. "Why don't we just sit here for a while longer together? This is actually pretty nice. Just us and the wind."

Yuna nodded, looking back out to the sky. The sun was almost completely gone now, the sky darkening with stray bits of sunlight slowly vanishing into the darkness. It felt like the end of something. The setting of one part of her life, pining for someone that was gone. At the same time, another was rising. She started counting the newly emerged stars as she considered that thought. A new chapter of her life, with someone she wanted to share it with. Her fingers stroked the back of Rikku's hand, savoring the feel of her cousin's skin against her own.

Yes, this would be a good, new part of the rest of her life. And, she thought as she swiftly turned and gave a quick kiss to Rikku's cheek, she wasn't going to waste a single moment of it.


End file.
